Patent Application
20210192233
The present disclosure relates to a system and method for detecting obstructed moving objects approaching an end of a driveway.
Objects near a driveway can obstruct a view of a road, making it difficult for a vehicle to pull out from the driveway or back out onto the road from the driveway.
A system for detecting a moving object blocked by a visual obstruction according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, includes, among other possible things, a remote radar located at an intersection of an end of a driveway and a road that is near a visual obstruction. The remote radar includes a sensor to detect data about the moving object in a radar field of view and a first transceiver that sends the data obtained by the sensor about the moving object to a second transceiver. The system includes a master device including the second transceiver and a control unit that communicates with the second transceiver. The data sent to the second transceiver is sent to the control unit to obtain information about the moving object.
In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the moving object is a vehicle. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the visual obstruction is a tree, a wall, or a parked car. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the information about the moving object is shown on a display. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the display is a phone or a tablet. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the display is a vehicle display of a vehicle. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the information about the moving object is at least one of a distance of the moving object, a speed of the moving object, and a time until the moving object will cross the remote infrastructure radar. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the information about the moving object is a visual symbol. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the information about the moving object supplements GPS information. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the control unit sends a first signal to the second transceiver of the master device, the second transceiver of the master device sends a second signal to the first transceiver of the remote radar, and the first transceiver of the remote radar sends a third signal to the sensor to activate the sensor to obtain the data about the moving object. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the control unit generates at least one of an audible warning, a visual warning, and a tactical warning when the moving object is detected.
Another system for detecting a moving vehicle blocked by a visual obstruction according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure includes, among other possible things, a remote radar located at an intersection of an end of a driveway and a road that is near a visual obstruction. The remote radar includes a sensor to detect data about the moving vehicle in a radar field of view and a first transceiver that sends the data obtained by the sensor about the moving vehicle to a second transceiver. The system includes a master device including the second transceiver, a control unit that communicates with the second transceiver, and a display. The data sent to the second transceiver is sent to the control unit to obtain information about the moving vehicle that is shown on the display, the control unit sends a first signal to the second transceiver, the second transceiver sends a second signal to the first transceiver, and the first transceiver sends a third signal to the sensor to the sensor to activate the sensor to obtain the data about the moving vehicle.
In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the visual obstruction is a tree, a wall, or a parked car. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the display is a phone, a tablet or vehicle display of a vehicle. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the information about the moving vehicle is at least one of a distance of the moving vehicle, a speed of the moving vehicle, and a time until the moving vehicle will cross the remote infrastructure radar. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the information about the moving vehicle is a visual symbol. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the information about the moving vehicle supplements GPS information.
A method for detecting a moving object blocked by a visual obstruction according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure includes, among other possible things, sending a signal from a control unit to a remote radar to activate a sensor, wherein the remote radar is located at an intersection of an end of a driveway and a road and near a visual obstruction, obtaining data about the moving object from the sensor when the moving object passes through a radar field of view, sending the data from the sensor to the control unit to obtain information about the moving object, and displaying the information about the moving object.
These and other features disclosed herein can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.
The radar driveway assistant system 10 includes a remote infrastructure radar 16 located near an end of a driveway 18 leaving a building 19. The remote infrastructure radar 16 can be positioned near the obstruction 14. In one example, the remote infrastructure radar 16 is an inexpensive automotive radar. The remote infrastructure radar 16 runs and broadcasts a radar object environment to a master device 20, such as a smart device (for example, a phone or tablet) or a vehicle computer of a vehicle 40.
In the example of
In the example of
As the remote infrastructure radar 16 is fixed, the radar driveway assistant system 10 can adaptively learn a curvature of the road 32 (and expected trajectories of inbound moving objects 12, enabling and accurate rendering of a dynamic environment). In another example, weather or lighting limitations can be taken into account in determining the location of a moving object 12.
As shown in
The master device 20 includes a transceiver 26 that communicates with the transceiver 24 of the remote infrastructure radar 16 and a control until 28 that communicates with the transceiver 26. The control unit 28 can compile the data obtained from the sensor 22 and provide this information to be shown on a display 30 of the master device 20. The master device 20 can include a processing unit (not shown).
At step 54, when a moving object 12 enters the radar field of view 38, the sensor 22 detects the moving object 12 and sends a signal including data about the moving object 12 to the transceiver 24 of the remote infrastructure radar 16. At step 56, the transceiver 24 of the remote infrastructure radar 16 then sends a signal including the data about the moving object 12 in the radar field of view 38 to the transceiver 26 of the master device 20. At step 58, the transceiver 26 of the master device 20 sends a signal including the data about the moving object 12 in the radar field of view 38 to the control unit 28 of the master device 20. Finally, in step 60, the control unit 28 compiles the data about the moving object 12 in the radar field of view 38 and displays information and/or a visual about the moving object 12 on the display 30.
As shown in
As shown in
In one example, the control unit 28 or system controller can include a processor, memory, and one or more input and/or output (I/O) device interface(s) that are communicatively coupled via a local interface. The local interface can include, for example but not limited to, one or more buses and/or other wired or wireless connections. The controller may be a hardware device for executing software, particularly software stored in memory. The controller can be a custom made or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU), an auxiliary processor among several processors associated with the computing device, a semiconductor based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chip set) or generally any device for executing software instructions.
The memory can include any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., random access memory (RAM, such as DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, VRAM, etc.)) and/or nonvolatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, hard drive, tape, CD-ROM, etc.). The software in the memory may include one or more separate programs, each of which includes an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. The controller can be configured to execute software stored within the memory, to communicate data to and from the memory, and to generally control operations of the computing device pursuant to the software. Software in memory, in whole or in part, is read by the processor, perhaps buffered within the processor, and then executed.
The foregoing description is only exemplary of the principles of the invention. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than using the example embodiments which have been specifically described. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.
